Overview of all ports of departure in Friesland

Departu re port Makkum: Which sailing possibilities does this port offer?

Marina Stavoren: What cruises are offered ?

Berth: Lemsteraak ELISABETH, Klipper DY ABT FAN STARUM

• Stavoren is situated directly on the Frisian coast with access to the IJsselmeer. The berth of the Lemsteraak ELISABETH is located in the inland port. For guests with little experience on flat-bottomed boats, the large inland lakes such as Fluessen and the Heegermeer offer excellent opportunities to take the first steps with a flat-bottomed boat. You don't need to pass through a lock and can start in this protected area. In the east / northeast are beautiful places like Heeg, Woudsend ... and you have the possibility to stay overnight at one of the numerous landing stages of the Marrekrite in the nature on an uninhabited island. With plenty of wind on the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer, the Frisian lakes and inland waterways offer an excellent protected sailing area.

• From ELISABETH's berth, it takes about 15 minutes to get to the lock and then out onto the IJsselmeer. Depending on the wind direction, you will sail north along the Frisian coast (Hindeloopen, Workum, Makkum) and pass the lock Kornwerderzand to make a trip on the Wadden Sea.

• If you don't (yet) want to sail on tidal waters, the IJsselmeer offers worthwhile and interesting destinations in almost every wind direction. Enkhuizen, for example, with its open-air museum about the history of the former Zuiderzee, the picturesque Monnickendam with the possibility to spend the night in a safe harbour and from here take the bus to Amsterdam, in Lelystad you can visit Batavia Yard, ... just to name a few destinations.

Base Leeuwarden: What possibilities? Advantages?

Berth: Lemsteraak VROUWE FRANCISKA, Zeeschouw DOLLE DRIES, Stevenaak AALTJE ENGELINA

• From the base in Leeuwarden you can reach the Frisian coast in the port city of Harlingen in a maximum of 3.5 hours. You will sail on the Van Harinxma Canal, passing several 12-metre wide bridges where you may have to wait for the opening. These are ideal situations to practise manoeuvring with the rented flat-bottomed vessel a little and to get to know the sailing and manoeuvring characteristics of the rented boat. With appropriate wind directions you can also sail on this wide channel (at least with the jib).

• Leeuwarden is the ideal starting point for sailing trips on the Wadden Sea. Within a week you can reach all the Frisian islands, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. With an east wind you sail via Dokkum, the Lauwersmeer and in Lauwersoog through the lock onto the Wadden Sea to Schiermonnikoog and then west (visit Ameland and Terschelling) until you sail from Vlieland to Harlingen and then back to Leeuwarden. If the wind is blowing from the south or west, you simply sail this trip the other way round.

• In strong winds (or forecast) it is advisable to sail via the Standing Mast Route to Grou and then continue the route to Sneek. The Frisian inland waterways have their own charm, on the way there is a lot to see and experience, nice little places to stay overnight, many moorings in the nature and you can also spend the night on an uninhabited island. ...

Home port Heeg: What advantages does this port of departure offer ?

Berth from Lemsteraak ZEPHYRUS, Vollenhovense Bol IRREGJE HELENA, Zeeschouw TRIJEMANSKIP

• Heeg is home to the Lemsteraak ZEPHYRUS, the Zeeschouw TRIJEMANSKIP and the Vollenhovense Bol IRREGIE HELENA. From the berth in the harbour you have direct access to the Heegumermeer, a large lake that continues south into the inland lake Fluessen and finally via a canal to Stavoren on the coast to the IJsselmeer. The Heegumermeer and Fluessen is an ideal sailing area for the Vollenhovense Bol and the Zeeschouw. You will find numerous places to stay overnight at the Marrekrite jetties in the countryside or on an island. This is an ideal area to practice a little with the rented sailing boat and to get to know the sailing and manoeuvring characteristics of the boat.

• From Heeg it is also possible to sail north, part of the way via the Princess Magrit Canal towards Sneek (about 10 kilometres further north). The Sneekermeer is also a fairly large inland lake with innumerable places to spend the night at the Marrekrite jetties. Sneek as a special water sports centre is of course always worth an overnight stay. Further north, you can sail to Grou, a former peat-cutting area, which is attractive in all seasons, to the Pikmeer and the adjacent nature reserve De Alde Feanen.